A Nepali man who spent a few years working in Malaysia rushed home after learning that his wife and 10-year-old daughter had gone missing in the devastating floods that struck Nepal.
However, when he finally arrived and saw the destruction with his own eyes, his hope turned into fear.
I returned to Nepal hoping to find them alive. But after seeing the situation here, I became afraid that I might not even find their bodies,” he said.
His four-year-old daughter survived
According to the man’s interview with Harek News TV, his wife and two daughters had moved from their village so that the children could receive a better education.
His eldest daughter was 10 years old, while his younger daughter was four.
On the day of the disaster, his wife was washing clothes at home and reportedly told the girls to walk to school by themselves as she did not have time to take them.
His four-year-old daughter managed to reach the school and escape the flood. However, his wife and eldest daughter remain missing.
The younger girl’s survival is now the reason he continues to hold on to hope.
Because my younger daughter managed to escape, I feel that my wife and eldest daughter may still be alive too,” he said in the video shared by Harek News.
‘I only want my family back’
The grieving father repeatedly broke down in tears while talking about his missing family.
He said he did not care about money, possessions or where he had to sleep. All he wanted was to see his loved ones again.
I do not need anything for myself. I am willing to sleep by the roadside and live without anything. I only want my wife and daughters back,” he said.
He added that he had been in Malaysia when the flood struck. Upon learning about the disaster, he immediately contacted his company so that he could return to Nepal.
However, as he could not come home straight away, he pleaded with friends and acquaintances in Nepal to help search for his family.
Torn between his two daughters
The father is now facing an agonising decision. While he wants to continue searching for his missing wife and eldest daughter, he also needs to care for his four-year-old daughter, who survived the disaster.
I do not know whether I should search for my missing wife and daughter or care for the daughter who survived,” he said, adding that the young girl was staying with relatives while he continued the search.
He also appealed to the Nepalese authorities to speed up efforts to locate missing people and identify victims.
What was once a town has now become a riverbed,” he said.
The floods struck on Aug 26 after a melting glacier collapsed near the Nepal and Tibet border, sending powerful floodwaters through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river valleys.
Entire settlements were destroyed within minutes, while damaged roads and dangerous terrain have made it difficult for rescue teams to reach several affected areas.
Despite the devastation surrounding him, the heartbroken father refuses to abandon the hope that his wife and eldest daughter are still waiting to be found.
Watch the interview here:
Read more:
All You Need To Know About Nepal’s Deadly Floods & The M’sians Caught In It
